The president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has revealed that Senegal’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign was overshadowed by internal unrest after head coach Pape Thiaw reportedly demanded a salary increase during the tournament.
Thiaw was dismissed on Sunday, days after Senegal’s 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32 on July 1 ended the team’s World Cup campaign.
“There was a breakdown in trust between Pape Thiaw and us,” FSF president Abdoulaye Fall told a press conference in Dakar, attributing the fallout to difficulties in agreeing on a new contract following Thiaw’s demand for higher pay.
Thiaw, 45, a former Senegal international, was appointed head coach of the national team in 2024.
Before the team departed for the World Cup, he reportedly requested a salary increase from 20 million CFA francs. Following negotiations, the two parties agreed to revised terms during the tournament and also resolved other issues, including player bonuses.
Fall said Thiaw at one stage threatened not to travel to the World Cup unless his demands were met. According to him, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye personally intervened on the day the squad was due to leave for the United States, convincing the coach to travel with the team.
He added that Thiaw’s contract was eventually signed on the eve of Senegal’s second group-stage match against Norway after the coach refused to take his place in the dugout until the agreement had been finalised.
Fall also claimed that Thiaw believed “federation officials were his enemies,” adding that the strained relationship affected the national team’s operations throughout the tournament.
During the World Cup, the Lions of Teranga lost to France and Norway in the group stage before a 5-0 victory over Iraq secured their place in the knockout rounds. Their campaign ended with a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32.
Under Thiaw, Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations title in January. However, they were later stripped of the championship after walking off the pitch during the chaotic final against Morocco, resulting in disciplinary sanctions.
